A good piece by Sarah Chayes on the problem in Kandahar - and it's roots in the 'Land of the Pure'. Also fully agree on the corruption and war-lord bit. However, the problem with that is one of disarming your defense (war-lords) in the face of a determined and well supplied enemy. Hobson's Choice.

For all their bluster and brovado - talk in Western capitals for Afghanistan has already come around to 'how doable is it?' which is a short step away from 'I am outta here'; which would be tragic.

It needs to be emphasised that the areas of Afghanistan for a long time has been one of warring tribes and constant battle. However, the genesis of 'export-grade' (in these days of the cloudy explosions) terrorism is a relatively new - and can be asscribed to only one place. Dismembering Pakistan is the need of the hour - do that and the war-lords will learn to live together. Corruption will never vanish - but this feeling of being besieged by two forces will.